


an adjusted syllabus of algebra (and astrophysics)

by Vehka



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Adorable Bruce Banner, Astrophysics, Fluff, M/M, Thor is... well Thor I guess, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2020-02-28 23:42:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18766741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vehka/pseuds/Vehka
Summary: ”You are always partly among your stars. Your calculations and orbits and paradoxes and asteroid belts and time dilation… That is your world. And I’m building a bridge, making a map. It is difficult, though.””You always look like you understand, though. Not algebra, but the other stuff. My… space stuff.”"Your language. Astrophysics”, Thor says and rolls his eyes at Bruce’s over-simplified word. ”It is because I do understand you, even when I don’t understand the science itself.”





	an adjusted syllabus of algebra (and astrophysics)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [owlinaminor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/owlinaminor/gifts).



> So, erm, this is my first attempt at Bruce/Thor in English, so here we are. English isn't my first language, so I'm always glad if someone points out the typos or grammatical errors. 
> 
> I love these two and I hope you'll enjoy reading this story just as much as I enjoyed writing it.
> 
> (And uh-oh, this is a gift to owlinaminor, although I'm not sure if I've ever even left a comment on her works, so this is a bit awkward, but since I found this pairing via her, I decided I'd dedicate this to her as well. Go and check her Bruce/Thor fics, though, those are perfect.)

*

Bruce is biting his nails – a bad habit! - and staring absentmindedly at the young man, who is putting books back to the library shelves. _That guy doesn’t really belong here_ , he thinks, like he has thought a couple of times before during the summer. That particular guy has a messy ponytail of sun-kissed, blonde hair, and lovely, tanned arms. He is always whistling as he works, and although he does it quietly, it is a bad habit. Whistling doesn’t belong to the library at all.

The library assistant works from Monday to Thursday, from 9 am till 3 pm. Bruce knows that, because he spends lots of time in the library himself. There are plenty of exams during the summer as well, and essays to be written, and he prefers the library from being at home alone anyway. And he needs to get those study credits, because he studies with a grant, and that grant requires certain amount of credits, and anyway, he needs to maintain a good pace, and… (All that thinking is a bit illogical, and Bruce knows it. He has more than enough study credits, he has progressed way faster than always any of the people who started at the same time with him. The only exception is Tony Stark, and that guy has so much money he doesn’t have to stress about grants or… anything. And yeah, he is smart too. Bruce can admit that – he has never been a competitive spirit, really.)

However, back to the library assistant. Bruce doesn’t know his name, because the guy doesn’t wear a similar name tag as the other library workers, so Bruce has deduced his probably only there as a summer worker. It is already the first week of August, so probably his contract will end soon. It bothers Bruce a bit, although he doesn’t quite understand why. Maybe because he is one of the few people who smile at Bruce without any particular reason. (Tony smiles at him, too, but Bruce haven’t decided why and what to think about it yet.)

”You are clearly studying too much”, the library assistant says. Bruce blinks. At some point the guy has moved next to Bruce’s table and sat down at the windowsill.

”Maybe I just like studying a lot”, Bruce mumbles. The library assistant just smiles and shrugs. His eyes are sunny blue and friendly and the corners crinkle in a way that makes Bruce’s mouth dry for some strange reason.

”Well, we all have our strange quirks”, he says and extends his hand. ”I’m Thor. I thought that since we’ve been in each other’s company for the better part of this summer, I should finally introduce myself.”

Bruce blushes – maybe because of Thor’s smile, maybe because of his warm and low voice. ”Bruce. Bruce Banner”, he stammers.

”Well, Bruce Banner”, Thor nods slowly as if to remember the name. ”Do you understand algebra?”

*

Turns out that Thor is studying math at evening classes. He has quit his studies a few years ago for unknown reasons – Thor doesn’t tell, so Bruce doesn’t ask – and tries to get back at those again. Without proper education he won’t get the job he wants, and for some reason that job turns out to be journalist. (Journalist! Bruce doesn’t really get it. Thor could be a model or an athlete or a knight in shining armor, but then again, what does Bruce know about these things? He has always wanted to be an astrophycisist, at least from the moment he got _A Brief History of Time_ as a Christmas present.)

Thor isn’t stupid, although numbers and equations are difficult for him. But in the middle of some calculations he might lift his gaze from the papers and look at Bruce with a strange intensity. ”Tell me about the stars.”

And then Bruce does, but if he tries to think about it too much, to choose his words in a way that is easier for Thor to understand, the other guy just faves his hand impatiently.

”Use your _own language_ ”, he says, and there is a hint of thunder and challenge in his low voice.

Thor talks about ”Bruce’s language”, but what he means is the language of astrophysics. So Bruce talks about quasars and Flamsteed designations and the Fermi Paradox (although that paradox is more philosophical than astrophysical, but he has always found it fascinating nevertheless). He talks about the event horizons of the black holes and gravitational fields and of entropy, and Thor listens, brews them coffee and asks countless questions until Bruce needs to remind him that this doesn’t actually help him with his math homework at all.

*

”Why do you always ask about the stars?” Bruce asks.

They are laying on the roof of the library, and sun is shining, and Bruce is staring at the sky intently, because he is afraid of heights, and this was Thor’s idea and for some reason he couldn’t say no.

”Why do you want to tell about them? You start to smile every time I ask you to”, Thor answers with a question. His voice is softer than usually.

”I -” Bruce starts and doesn’t say anything else. He knows, of course. _No one ever asks, but I love stars. I love it when you ask._

”You are always partly among your stars. Your calculations and orbits and paradoxes and asteroid belts and time dilation… That is your world. And I’m building a bridge, making a map. It is difficult, though.”

”You always look like you understand, though. Not algebra, but the other stuff. My… space stuff.”

"Your language. Astrophysics”, Thor says and rolls his eyes at Bruce’s over-simplified word. ”It is because I do understand you, even when I don’t understand the science itself.”

”I’m not quite sure I follow you now.”

”You are always looking at me when you think I won’t notice. Even in the beginning of the summer, when you were a bit tired from all the studying, and then, when weeks went by, more and more. And then I thought I should just leave you alone, so your books won’t get jealous”, Thor grins. ”And you are always averting my eyes when our hands happen to touch if I hand you your coffee mug or take a pencil from you, and now you are blushing. But when you are talking about the stars, you don’t hesitate and you aren’t really scared at all, and then you are speaking to me, and even looking at me.”

”Well...” Bruce stumbles with words. ”I thought you want to know, and when you want something, I want -”

”Yes, you do”, Thor smiles again. ”You want many things, and you also want to have me, but you are really bad at saying it.”

”I’m not the only one who wants you”, Bruce answers drily. ”You are… what you are.”

”Well, it is certainly true”, Thor doesn’t even try to argue. ”I’ve noticed. I have my own… gravitational field, I guess.”

”Yes”, Bruce says and thinks that will do it, end this hopeless conversation, but it doesn’t.

"I’m not a sun or a planet, though. I don’t just stay and wait that things start orbiting me”, Thor says.

 _But you are a sun_ , Bruce thinks furiously. _You’ll burn me, if I don’t stay away. But maybe just this once, maybe -_

”Talk to me about the stars”, Thor says and his eyes are full of approaching storm. ”But kiss me first.”


End file.
